This episode was not good enough. Naruto finally saw again his friends, but almost every reunion was cut short and cold. The plotline follows the confusion among the shinobis on each division, and news regarding Madara. Killer B finally catches up the original Naruto, and they keep going to face "Madara", the masked man. Meanwhile, at the coast, Shikamaru devised a extreme but effective plan: every person must remain inside a circle, and not move out, if they do, they'll be attacked and considered Zetsus. Ino ponders why not identify the allies with questions, but Shikamaru says that a lucky guess can ruin everything. He and the others must wait for Naruto. When the protagonist (a clone) arrives, Dan is surprised and reminds Nawaki. Choji, Shikamaru and Ino are glad to see him (she even screams his name happily). Naruto starts pointing to the infiltrated Zetsu. Choji is surprised by Naruto's look (with the yellow fire cloak), and Dan asks about him. Shikamaru introduces him as his former academy classmate, a fool who since child talked about becoming Hokage. Now he thinks that dream may come true. Dan is glad to see that still now are persons with the same dream of him and Nawaki. Plus, he is surprised to learn that Tsunade supports Naruto. Of all the reunions, this was the better. Shikamaru welcomed back Naruto as usual, and how the way he talked about him to Dan was natural. He fully trusts Naruto, he is one of his friends, and when he says he was a fool, he means it with cherish, not to insult him. Choji's reaction was good, simple and showing surprise by the new look. Ino in some ways looked like a fan girl of the hero of Konoha, but at the same time it's clear that she honestly trusts him. In the past she looked him as a troublemaker, now she sees Naruto as a true hero. Dan's dialogues were well written, it wasn't a bad idea to let him trapped without being sealed yet. He still deserves a brief reunion with Tsunade.
At the Medical camp, Tsunade, Shizune and a guard are surprised by two shinobis from Iwagakure who intend to get inside to be treated. The woman demands urgent treatment for her husband, yet the guard refuses to let them in. Shizune and Sakura are also reluctant, until the woman threatens to kill herself of they don't heal her partner. When they turn their back, asking the guard to allow their entrance, the two shinobis reveal themselves as Zetsus and go to attack them. But at the right time (though the guard probably could have stopped the impostors), the clone of Naruto crushes both of them. He asks Sakura if she is ok, who is stunned to see him, same as Shizune. Naruto says she doesn't look hurt. The scene ends, and later each one is seen fighting Zetsus, now identified by Naruto. This reunion wasn't really bad, but was too short. Naruto finally gets to see Sakura again after so long, after meeting his mother and listening her last words, the whole sacrifice of his parents, yet, such reunion was played down. Sakura is not just another friend, she is Naruto's partner, the one who knows him better than anyone, the closest to him along Iruka, Kakashi and Tsunade. Such reunion deserved much more dialogue, a hug, gestures, emotion. Besides, looks like Sakura and Shizune were never updated about his arrival. They didn't hear an explanation, or the reason of why Naruto has a yellow fire cloak. This was minimized a lot in comparison to the next encounter.
Neji's division is out of control. Nobody knows who is who, as Neji witnesses a Zetsu impersonating Hinata, and Kiba sees other Zetsu impersonating Shino. Each one does their best, and fight the impostors. A big shinobi from Iwagakure shows his strength. Hinata defeats an enemy but then is confronted by three. Casually, a clone of Naruto appears right in time to protect her. She thanks him and is as "blind" as always when he shows up. Kiba sees him but realizes he never saw him coming because his smell is different. Neji thinks the same because he looks different, and his chakra is not the same than before. Naruto updates them, he arrived to help them distinguish the Zetsus and that's why he looks different, as now he has that ability. Still, Neji doubts, so Hinata reassures that Naruto is not an impostor, given the look on his eyes and that he protected her. Shino comes and also confirms as he protected him. Anyway, while seeing him talk to others, Hinata berates herself for not protecting him, and be protected instead. Naruto notices her looking down, so comforts her by remembering the two times she protected him (the one against Pain, and, well, I don't know about the other). He tells her she is strong. Then, he starts leading the counter attack against the Zetsus, while Hinata looks at him crushed as usual. This reunion was obviously extended given certain purposes. For one side, there's no doubt, this is episode 321, and Naruto never said even a Thank you to Hinata for her actions in episode 166. He should have had a talk with her, but sooner. He should have explained something about the Kyuubi to her, show a normal conversation between the two. On the other side, Hinata is not showing character development, and this is because she had almost no time screen during Shippuden. So here, it's always the same, she should show more confidence and not the same usual shy attitude when Naruto is around. She needed more personality. And well, about Naruto, anyone could tell that he didn't seem the same of always. When he found Hinata hidden during the first episodes of Sai arc, he acted more natural with her. But on this scene, he looked like treating her as if she was closer than what she really is. What I mean, if he has not seen her in a long time, and doesn't know much about her, the greeting should be more casual. Then, Naruto's interactions with Kiba were good. After all, they had talks often since he returned to Konoha. Kiba had enough appearances, and talks Naruto like a friend. About Neji, he seemed mistrustful. Shino as usual.
The next reunion, should have been important, but was played down. Kakashi and his team (including Gai, Lee) manage to seal Fuguki, with Sai's help, so only remains Mangetsu, and two other resurrected shinobis. Anyway, an army of Zetsus begins to surround them, and Naruto finally arrives. Kakashi is glad that the reinforcements are there, even if is just one. They keep fighting agianst the enemy, and Lee welcomes Naruto. This was another reunion that deserved a better context. Now that Naruto knows more about his parents, he should be eager (again) to talk to Kakashi about them, or to tell him the story of what happened in the Kyuubi incident. Instead, their meeting, was quick and with no time for talks because of the numerous enemies.
Then, Naruto is showed helping Mifune's team, finding Kimimaro and Chiyo, and another clon reaches the Mizukage's team battling Black Zetsu. There he meets Genma and Raido. The last part involves Muu, and Kabuto's as. The 2nd Tsuchikage summons the next person: Madara Uchiha. When he awakes, he feels something strange. He is glad of being back, thinking Nagato did his job. But then he recognizes the 2nd Tsuchikage, and learns that they were resirrected through Edo tensei. He is surprised. Soon they go to face the allied team awaiting. Onoki realizes that Muu has duplicated himself, and that they actually sealed the other half. When they see Madara, are left stunned. The Naruto clon thinks he finally saw the man behind the mask, but Gaara realizes Madara was resurrected given his blackened eyes. Temari agrees, as the headquarters detected the other "Madara" with the jinchurikis somewhere else. As Onoki recognizes the reanimated Madara as the real one (he confronted him during his youth), they wonder who is the masked man. The end of the episode was great. Madara's real return was perfectly showed. He looks like a real villain, serious, strong, confident, with a dark look, a brilliant devised plan on mind. His words mean that he instructed Tobi and Nagato before his death. He lived long enough to plan everything, even implant a young Nagato the Rinnegan. But considering Obito's reaction when he saw Madara's corpse that Kabuto obtained, he was shocked. It's clear that he didn't want the real Madara to revive.
At the Medical camp, Tsunade, Shizune and a guard are surprised by two shinobis from Iwagakure who intend to get inside to be treated. The woman demands urgent treatment for her husband, yet the guard refuses to let them in. Shizune and Sakura are also reluctant, until the woman threatens to kill herself of they don't heal her partner. When they turn their back, asking the guard to allow their entrance, the two shinobis reveal themselves as Zetsus and go to attack them. But at the right time (though the guard probably could have stopped the impostors), the clone of Naruto crushes both of them. He asks Sakura if she is ok, who is stunned to see him, same as Shizune. Naruto says she doesn't look hurt. The scene ends, and later each one is seen fighting Zetsus, now identified by Naruto. This reunion wasn't really bad, but was too short. Naruto finally gets to see Sakura again after so long, after meeting his mother and listening her last words, the whole sacrifice of his parents, yet, such reunion was played down. Sakura is not just another friend, she is Naruto's partner, the one who knows him better than anyone, the closest to him along Iruka, Kakashi and Tsunade. Such reunion deserved much more dialogue, a hug, gestures, emotion. Besides, looks like Sakura and Shizune were never updated about his arrival. They didn't hear an explanation, or the reason of why Naruto has a yellow fire cloak. This was minimized a lot in comparison to the next encounter.
Neji's division is out of control. Nobody knows who is who, as Neji witnesses a Zetsu impersonating Hinata, and Kiba sees other Zetsu impersonating Shino. Each one does their best, and fight the impostors. A big shinobi from Iwagakure shows his strength. Hinata defeats an enemy but then is confronted by three. Casually, a clone of Naruto appears right in time to protect her. She thanks him and is as "blind" as always when he shows up. Kiba sees him but realizes he never saw him coming because his smell is different. Neji thinks the same because he looks different, and his chakra is not the same than before. Naruto updates them, he arrived to help them distinguish the Zetsus and that's why he looks different, as now he has that ability. Still, Neji doubts, so Hinata reassures that Naruto is not an impostor, given the look on his eyes and that he protected her. Shino comes and also confirms as he protected him. Anyway, while seeing him talk to others, Hinata berates herself for not protecting him, and be protected instead. Naruto notices her looking down, so comforts her by remembering the two times she protected him (the one against Pain, and, well, I don't know about the other). He tells her she is strong. Then, he starts leading the counter attack against the Zetsus, while Hinata looks at him crushed as usual. This reunion was obviously extended given certain purposes. For one side, there's no doubt, this is episode 321, and Naruto never said even a Thank you to Hinata for her actions in episode 166. He should have had a talk with her, but sooner. He should have explained something about the Kyuubi to her, show a normal conversation between the two. On the other side, Hinata is not showing character development, and this is because she had almost no time screen during Shippuden. So here, it's always the same, she should show more confidence and not the same usual shy attitude when Naruto is around. She needed more personality. And well, about Naruto, anyone could tell that he didn't seem the same of always. When he found Hinata hidden during the first episodes of Sai arc, he acted more natural with her. But on this scene, he looked like treating her as if she was closer than what she really is. What I mean, if he has not seen her in a long time, and doesn't know much about her, the greeting should be more casual. Then, Naruto's interactions with Kiba were good. After all, they had talks often since he returned to Konoha. Kiba had enough appearances, and talks Naruto like a friend. About Neji, he seemed mistrustful. Shino as usual.
The next reunion, should have been important, but was played down. Kakashi and his team (including Gai, Lee) manage to seal Fuguki, with Sai's help, so only remains Mangetsu, and two other resurrected shinobis. Anyway, an army of Zetsus begins to surround them, and Naruto finally arrives. Kakashi is glad that the reinforcements are there, even if is just one. They keep fighting agianst the enemy, and Lee welcomes Naruto. This was another reunion that deserved a better context. Now that Naruto knows more about his parents, he should be eager (again) to talk to Kakashi about them, or to tell him the story of what happened in the Kyuubi incident. Instead, their meeting, was quick and with no time for talks because of the numerous enemies.
Then, Naruto is showed helping Mifune's team, finding Kimimaro and Chiyo, and another clon reaches the Mizukage's team battling Black Zetsu. There he meets Genma and Raido. The last part involves Muu, and Kabuto's as. The 2nd Tsuchikage summons the next person: Madara Uchiha. When he awakes, he feels something strange. He is glad of being back, thinking Nagato did his job. But then he recognizes the 2nd Tsuchikage, and learns that they were resirrected through Edo tensei. He is surprised. Soon they go to face the allied team awaiting. Onoki realizes that Muu has duplicated himself, and that they actually sealed the other half. When they see Madara, are left stunned. The Naruto clon thinks he finally saw the man behind the mask, but Gaara realizes Madara was resurrected given his blackened eyes. Temari agrees, as the headquarters detected the other "Madara" with the jinchurikis somewhere else. As Onoki recognizes the reanimated Madara as the real one (he confronted him during his youth), they wonder who is the masked man. The end of the episode was great. Madara's real return was perfectly showed. He looks like a real villain, serious, strong, confident, with a dark look, a brilliant devised plan on mind. His words mean that he instructed Tobi and Nagato before his death. He lived long enough to plan everything, even implant a young Nagato the Rinnegan. But considering Obito's reaction when he saw Madara's corpse that Kabuto obtained, he was shocked. It's clear that he didn't want the real Madara to revive.
